Knitting machine and process



April 8, 1941. K. HOWIE KNITTING MACHINE AND PROCESS 5 8 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed D90. 14, 193

I J O 1 o fi o s I 1 I I I Filed 1m. 14, 1935 I P I K HOWIE KNITTING MACHINE AND PROCESS H L MM 1 4 Q a :fl I I IH IMV w a H 1 a w I I, I, 1 m N N. 8 [I m M O I I H m .IIIIQ I ww m. I I I I! 1 E m A fiw n- II I QM I WW Wb WWW April 8, 1941. K. HOWIE KNITTING MACHINE AND PROCESS 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Dec. 14, 1935 J1. ennei'iz Jfawie,

K. Howl: 2.237.602 KNITTING MACHINE AND PROCESS- A ril's, 1941.

Filed D em l4, 1935 a Sheets-Sheet 5 54a, n ril milifqiglqujflfl .m mummmmnmm 1 7;

April 8, 1941. HQWIE 2,237,602

KNITTING MACHINE AND PROCESS Filed Dec. 14, 1935 a Sheets-Sheet s w E mom Maw Ma 3 an V w M W M M K. HOWIE 2.237.602

KNITTING MACHINE AND PROCESS Filed D90. 14, 1935 8 Sheets-Sheet 7 April 8, 1 941. 2 HQWE 2 2.237.602

KNITTING MACHINE AND PROCESS Filed Dec. 14, 1935 8 Sheets- Sheet 8 I I Patented Apr. 8, .1941

UNITED 7 STATES PATENT OFFICE I I I raocriss Kennethllowie, Nemmmmssaimo'rtowinman Mtg. 00., Pennsylvania Norristown.

Pa., a corporation or Application December 14, 1235, Serial No. 54,409

for its'general object the and eflicient machine for the leg,'heel tabs, and foot por- 'I'heinvention has provision oi a-simple knitting thereon tions of a full fashioned stocking in one operathem while the h tabs are being knit and for thereafter automatically restoring said loops to the instep needles so that the knitting or the foot portion'of the fabric may he proceeded with. Preferablythls instep transfer bar iscarried by the narrowing frame, which carries the transfer points for fashioning the fabric and is controlled autcmaticallyby means on said narto another machine for.

carrying out the invention, an in-,-

rowing frame suitably operated. Other features' relating to the invention willbe clear {mm the following description taken in connection with the accom drawings. inoludesthe method knitting.

The invention is shown. for convenience, in v type of full fashioned stocking knitting machine disclosed .of the United States. of Howie and Krieble, .December 4, 1934, No. 1,982,991, though it will be .understood that the inve tion is not limited to its application to that particular machine.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a front view fashioned knitting machine, Cotton type, embodyi fl Fig. 2 is-an elevation the upper portion of the machine with parts in section and parts broken away. Fig. 3 is a plan view of Fig. being omitted, and other parts being shown diagrammatically and in dotted lines, these parts being illustrated morefully in the patent above mentioned. v v

Fig. 4 is a detail plan vlew'oi a part of Fig. '3. Fig. 5 is a v sectional view from front to rear of parts of the machine showing mainly a part 0! the narrowing frame, the insteptranster bar, and operating means therefor, relation of these parts to the needles, sinkers, and a part or the operating mechanism for the needle bar. Fig. 5a is Fig. 5.

Figs. 6, '7, 8, 9,

generally of the the invention.

and are detail views or The invention alsoof the left hand side of 51,, certain parts I and the a detail including the cam means of in .Letters Patent of part of a mu cams of Figs. 6, '1, 8.

' the cam shaft of rowing frame, for operating. the instep transfer 36 Claims. ((11. 06-82),

:and controlling the instep transfer bar and associated parts.

Fig. 11 is a side view of part of the mechanism for operating the cam shaft which carries the 9, and 10.

Fig. 12 is a plan view of Fig. 11 partlyin section,

Fig. 13 is a front view Fig. 14 is a side view of parts of m. 11.

Figs.- 5 to-13 carried by the narbar.

Fig. 15 is a view ozone of the points of the instep transier instep bar.

Fig. 16 is a detail view the spring needles of conventional type.

Fig. 1'7 is a front view of the sectional needle bar adjusted to provide the two gaps in the row of needles for making enlargedfloops in the heel tabs for impaling on the needles for continuing the knitting of the foot, it being noted that Fig. l. shows this needle bar adjusted to its closed condition for eliminating these row for producing regular fabric of the leg and foot portions of the stocking.

Fig. 18 is a detail plan view of sham needles, instep Fig. 29 is a 'dia'gram'of one tom'nf several .fabrics that may be Fig. 30 shows the instep transfer'fr'a ne held knit on themachine;

in idle position.

In the drawings,' i, m indicategenerally the brackets 2, mounted :on

needle bar carried by bearings l, and operated by mechanism asin normal practice, upwardly and downwardly, and also forwardly and backwardly. This needle bar is formed in'sections, i. e., a middle section I and end sections is for a purpose hereinafter described. v a The narrowing frame is shown genera at M, pivotally mounted at M: and b! link I, a lever ll, shaft on the main cam shaft 0, Fig. 2.

This narrowing frame, as in usual practice, earries transfer points 44 for transferring needle to needle lengthwise of the needle rowlroias in the patent above blocks of for these transfer.

fashioning, and to, the carrier and the means controlled therebrfor operating points are mounted on and operated by a screw or a cam for operatinl of the head of oneof' gaps in the needle a some of the needle. bar-and operating and adjusting means.

sectional views of details.

4! from a suitable!!! threaded shaft 442) to which rotary step by step motion is imparted through a train of mechanism involving a pawl and ratchet, hereinafter referred to. This narrowing frame in the ordinary Cotton type of full fashioned stocking machine operates for producing the narrowed parts of the leg of the stocking blank, and also the narrowed courses at the heel tabs: In the present invention, this narrowing frame is utilized as a part of the mechanism by which the loops are automatically taken off from the instep needles and held while the heel tabs are being formed, said loops being automatically restored to said instep needles after the heel tabs are completed, and the knitting of the foot portion of the stocking is to he proceeded with on the one and same machine. This narrowing frame, there- ,fore, is utilized as a carrier for an instep transfer bar 5 carrying a row of instep transfer points 6, said row of points being as long only as the row of needles which knit the instep portion of the fabric between the heel tabs. This instep transfer bar is carried at the lower end of a carrier comprising arms I which are pivotally mounted at their upper ends.

Normally, i. e., when the leg of the stocking is being knit, and also when the foot portion is being knit, this instep transfer bar 5 is swung up into its idle position, see Fig. 30, remote from the needles. It is swung down to its operative position at any time after the last leg narrowing is performed so as to be available for automatically taking the instep loops from the instep needles and holding said instep loops while the knitting of the heel tabs is being performed.

For mounting the carrier arms 1 of this instep transfer bar the following organization is provided: The narrowing frame has a tie rod 8 extending between its arms 41 on which are fixedly mounted arms 9 extending upwardly therefrom in which is rotatively mounted a shaft l 0. Fixed on this shaft are two arms ll extending towards the front of the machine, and having at their forward ends pointed bearing screws 52, Fig. 4, engaging ball bearing rings in the upper ends of the arms I of the instep transfer bar. These arms at their upper ends are-connected by a tie rod l3. This transfer bar carrier or frame when swung up to idle position about the pointedpivot screws I2 is held against stops I! under pressure of the springs I5, the frame having pins I la to engage the stops. When the instep transfer frame is swung downwardly to operative position, it is pressed rightward. Fig. 5 by the springs l5, so that said frame will be brought into position to be operated by cams on a cam shaft 0,.

it being understood also'that when said carrier frame is moved-to the position just mentioned the instep transfer points 6 will assume position ready to be operated for taking the loops oil. I from the instep needles, thereafter holding said loops while the heel tabs are being knitted, and then restoring said loops to the instep vneedles for continuing the knitting to form the foot.

One of the frame arms I is provided with an adjustable plate I! having a projection l8, Fig. 5,

to bear on the periphery of a cam c on the cam. I

shaft 0, which is joumaled in the lower. extensions of the arms 9, and in a bearing is mounted on the tie rod 8, Fig. 1. This-projection l8 limits the movement of thetransfer frame Iflzhtward in Fig. 5, andthus the initial position of the instep 7 loop holding points 6 to the needles 'd is determined, this position being illustrated also in the diagrammatic Fig. 21. This position is assumed the instep transfer points reach the points 44, together with the instep transfer points 6 are given as a unit a special dip from the position shown in Fig. 21 through the positions of Figs. 22 and 23 to the position of Fig. 24, at which time in the operation the points 6 will have received the loops shed from the needles by the knock over bits. During this downward movement the instep transfer points 8 and the fashioning points 44 are at the same level relative to each other. When in the subsequent movement the narrowing points, together with the instep transfer points reach the level of the top of the knock over bits, which in the ordinary practice of fashioning is the racking level, (i. e. where the narrowing points in ordinary practice move along the needle row from needle to needle) the instep transfer points move up to the position-of Fig. 25, while-the narrowing-frame stands still. Then the transfer frame is sprung toone side, or in other words, it is given a slight movement in the direction of the needle row as will be described later, so that the instep transfer points will register with the spaces between the needles, and can readily pass between the needles, due to the narrow ends of the needles and points being at the same level. As soon as the instep transfer points have passed between the needles towards the front of the machine, the instep transfer frame restores itself to normal position because of its resiliency, transfer points 8 will lie directly opposite the needles and at the backs thereof, as shown in Fig. 251:. The instep fabric is now located between the needles and the front of the machine. Then the narrowing frame 41 makesits second special dip and the instep transfer frame 1-1 the way, it being goes down with it, but not all arrested by means hereinafter described, when shown in Figs. downward movement of the instep transfer frame 1-! and its points 6 is to points 6 with the needle bar when the latter rises to the position shown in Fig. 26. 4

The fabric is now held by the points 8 as shown in said Fig. 26 in front vof the needles and at the level of the knitting plane, on top of the knock over bits, during the knitting of the heel tabs, but the fabric will move forward under the pull of the take up. thepivoting of the frame I-Tallowing this-action to .take place until the position of Fig. 26a is reached, at which time fiu'ther forward movement "of the instep transfer Points will be prevented, as be later described, and therefore the ins p loops will not drop off from the said poin I, which are still located between said bits. I

During the narrowing of the heel tabs the instep transfer frame 1-! will be held up, by the 'means, hereinafter described, with the instep transfer points in the position of Fig. 26 so that so that said instep position 25b and 26. This arresting of the prevent contact of the v 9,287,669 vated position of the needles and in dotted lines the elevated position of, the narrowing points".

After the heel tabs are finished and cast ofi,

In carrying out the transfer operation of the 15 instep loops the movements may be said to consist' of two stages, i. e. the stage of taking the instep loops off from the needles, and the stage of restoring said loops onto'the needles. The first dip of the narrowing frame of the first stage is used for taking the instep loops off of the needle, and after the heel tabs are knit and the restoring stageilis to be performed, it is the secand dip of the narrowing frame of that "stage which is used to replace the fabric onthe instep 25 needles. V

The operating means for the instep transfer frame includes thefoilowing mechanism:

For raising the said frame with the instep transfer bar and points 6 relative to the narrowing 30 frame l'l a cam c is fixed on the cam shaft c which acts on a lever 12, Fig. 10 pinned on shaft III which is under tension of a spring 24 encircling the said shaft.

The movement of the shaft ll to the instep transfer frame I-"l by the arms ll, Figs. 5 and 10, fixed on'said shaft. At the sametime that this lifting action by cam c? takes place on this half revolution of the cam shaft 0, a timing screw 2i projecting. from one of the late eral faces .of the cam c contacts with an upwardly inclined projection 'll of a plate ila adjustably fixed on one of the arms of the carrier frame of the instep transfer bar, and ass result said carrier or frame is given the slight lateral movement, due to the spring of its metal, so that the loop holding points 8 will then register with the spaces between the needles and mm between needle 50- the heel tabs are completed, the knittingof'which scribed to carry the fabric past the needlesto the front of the machine. Compare in thisconnection Figs. 25, 25a, 25b and-26, which forward movement-takes place by contact of the periphery of cam c with the projection ll of the plate I1 55 The adjustably fixed on the frame l--I. 1

The projection II. is inclined upwardly, and being carried by the adjustable plate i'la, promt 5 lever or level 10 following means'areprovided:

During this 180 revolution of the cam shaft c, a cam c thereon operates a bell crank trip of the fixed bobbin frame. The shouldered'end 21 of this latch engages flange of a block 28 which is mounted on a rod .2! of said bobbin frame.

block 2!. rightward. This block is connected by anarm or yoke ill with an arm}! alsoslidably mounted on the rod. This latter arm, or collar,

' has a tooth ll which is normally out of engage-v ment witha notch of a stop collar 85 fixed on the said rod-II. When the cam.c ,'by its bevelled edge, contacts the end! and operates the bell crank trip level, or trigger, it the block or collar II will be released, and the spring ll 20 will shift the-block II to that the tooth on is transmitted the arm 82' moving with said block-will engage the notch in the fixed collar 35, and hence-the .7 auxiliary arm II, which is now attached to the said notched collanwili be held up, and as this auxiliary arm is connected by its'slottedparts ITI-with the upper rod it of the instep transfer point frame, said frame will be held up with the transfer points i in the position shown in Fig. 26.

In this figure, the needle bar lis in its fully elevated position, and hence the transfer points, if r not limited in their downward movement at this stage of the operation, would strike the needle bar and be damaged.

This auxiliary-control arm, when inengagement with the notch of the fixed collar, or detent member, Ills the only factor which limits the downward movement of the transfer bar, because the cam c at this time has relinquished its con-- trol.

operation, the cam shafthaving rotated 180-, and

the transfer bar I taken the fabric from the instep needles. and having moved said fabric 4:, to a, position at the frontof the machine, i; e.,

' vision is thereby made. for accurately adiustinfl is'proceeiied with as. soon as the instep fabric is removed-from the needles and is held by the instep transitibar, as just described in the positlon sh wn in Pi "during the knittingof the heel tabs'will be maintained substantially in the horizontal plane in which the knitting takes place, so that the knitting of the heel tabs can he proceeded withwiththe timing of the racking movement of thetrans! out ubjecting the fabric to undue rem 1 fer bar just described in relation to the associated movements of the parts.

After the forward movement of the 26, 26:: show the fabric at this moment, 1. e., while heel tabs are being knit, at that side of the needles which'is towards the front of the i 8 P i ts 11 N i dw ;machine, and the fabric is shown as resting upon the transfer bar, under control of cam c, is 85 mm me; t i tim allowed to drop by gravity. assisted an 89 81 The knittlii! 0f the heel tabs,

' until the ips of the poin s ml! a poiltion. their rave! courses, having been completed, the

see Fig. 26, the required distancebeiow-the under side of the knockover willbeinapos'itiononthepohitl maintenance thereon for the required 'periodin ward podtion of the transfer points, as shown in diagram Fig. 28, is arrived atwhen the .cam shaft 0 has turned i the subsequent steps of the This dawn...

next steir'in the'operation is that of replacing hits at whichtime the instep fabric onto the needles in orderthat to 70 the knittingof the foot may he proceeded with and'compietedonthissamemachine.

, with parts part 4.1 of the narrowing frame is its elevated tion, see the position of points latch II, pivoted'at 2., Fig. 1, to a part A spring II encircles this-rod and presses the 'The instep transfer bar and the cam shaft 0 have now completed one half of a full cycle of when held off of the instep needles together with points in the process of knitting entirely apart from the locations in the fabric where loops are actually transferred from one needle to another in fashioning. This racking movement of the fashioning points 44 is eliminated by a cam c on the transfer cam shaft c, which operates a rowing frame on its rising movement reaches the height for racking laterally, the cam shaft 0 begins the second half of its rotary movement, bringing cam c againdnto control of the vertical position of the transfer bar frame, and raising it to a position where the instep transfer points will be at a level above the level of the tops of the needles, as in Fig. 27. At the same time, a cam c on the cam shaft c comes into engagement with a pin 39 on a plate 40, Figs. 1, 3, 7, and 8, secured to the side of one of the arms I or the instep ,transfer frame, which cam then pulls the transfer bar and its points with the iabric loops towards the beard side of the needle into position for the restoration of the loops back onto the needles.

Cam shaft 0 having completed its full cycle during which the instep transfer points have been raised by cam c to the position of Fig. 27 and then lowered by spring down to the position of Fig. 27a, which latter action ls allowed by said cam 0 the further action of the instep transfer bar is due to the action of the narrowing frame 47 as a whole, that is to say, the narrowing frame on its second dip of this delivery stage replaces the instep fabric loops onto the needles, and this act-ion is nearly accomplished in Fig. 28, the said instep transfer points having carried the loops held thereby down upon the knockover bits so that on the elevation of the needles, the loops will be taken thereby.

It was previously described that the instep transfer frame was racked or sprung laterally by the pin 2| of cam c engaging the arm or projection 20' on the arm I of said frame to make the transfer points'6 align with the spaces between the needles. However, at the time that the action illustrated by Fig, 27 takes place, the transfer points 6 will be in the same vertical plane with the needles, because the pin 2| and projection 20 will have relinquished their control.

The machine is now ready to proceed with the.

knitting of the foot.

This can be done desirably by the following procedure, but the invention is not limited in this respect.

Before describing one way that the stocking may be completed after the instep loops have been restored from the instep transfer bar to the instep needle, the following may be stated relating to the general operations heretofore set forth.

In the usual, or regular, narrowing-operation,

after the first dip of the narrowing frame 41' and its return upward to the racking position, the regular narrowing points 44 are given said racking movement, which means that they are lever 4| fixed on a shaft 42, Figs. 3 and 9, mounted in bearings on the narrowing frame. This shaft, when given a partial rotation by the cam c and arm 4|, sets an arm l3a mounted thereon and shield Ila in position to rendera pawl 44f inoperative in respect to ratchet 449.

This pawl ordinarily would operate the screw shaft 441) through said ratchet, and a train of mechanism, including gearing 44c and 44d, Figs. 1

V and 3, this mechanism being similar to the parts disclosed in Letters Patent of the United States in the name of- K. Howie, 1,986,577, January 1, 1935, for controlling the operation of the shaft 44b of said patent, except in the present case the pawl is rendered entirely inoperative. By rendering the pawl inoperative on the ratchet, i. e., by automatically placing the shield in position to prevent the pawl from engaging the ratchet at all, the screw shaft 441) will not be operated, and hence the fashioning points 44 will not be shifted along the needle row.

The transfer cam shaft 0 is operated from a cam 45 on the main cam shaft 0. of the machine, which, when shogged axially, by suitable pattern controlled means, into line with a roller 46a, Figs. 1 and 2, on arm 46b, will operate a rock shaft 481:, arm 50, flexible band 5|, which passes over idler pulley 52 to a drum 53 to which it is attached at 54, see Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 11. This drum turns loosely on the main tie rod B of the fashioning frame. It is turned in clockwise direction, Fig. 11, by a spring 54a. This drum carv ries pawl'55 pivoted at 56 to a wing 51 extending from the drum. The pawl is adapted to engage a ratchet 58 having four teeth 90 apart, said ratchet being loose on the tie rod 8. It is pressed by a spring 60 into engagement with the ratchet when permitted to do so by a shield 6|, Fig. 11; The ratchet has pinned thereto a gear wheel 62 which meshes with a pinion 63 fixed on the cam shaft 0. This pawl and rat chet mechanism turns the came shaft c when the instep loops are to be removed from the instep needles and restored thereto. At each ac-v tion of the pawl the ratchet is turned one fourth of a revolution.

There is a 2 to 1 ratio between the pinion and l the gear wheel, so that the cam shaft is given a one half revolution foreach action of the ratchet wheel.

The transfer cam shaft 0 is called into action by the pattern mechanism, of any suitable form,

only when action of the narrowing frame takes place in coordination with the instep transfer bar and the latter is to perform its function. Therefore, means is prov ded whereby this transfer cam shaft is allowed to remain at rest at other times. This means includes the shield 6| on the peripheral surface of which the pawl rides.

By automatically setting this shield, the pawl 55 is permitted to engage the ratchet, or is prevented from having engagement therewith.

This shield is adjusted automatically by a rod 64 connected therewith, Figs. 1, 2, 3, 11, and 12, and with a lever 65, Figs. 1, 2, and 3, pivoted at 66 to the frame and having its free end riding upon a cam 61 provided with notches 68. When the cam turns so that the end of the lever can shaft.

fall into one ofthe notches, theshield, under the action of the spring 89, will move to the right, Fig. 11, and expose the tooth of the I ratchet to the action of the pawl, whereas when the lever 65 rides on the periphery of the cam 61 the shield will be pulled by the rod leftward in Figs. 2 and 11, and will shield the ratchet tooth from engagement by the pawl, and the cam shaft will not be moved. i

The cam 61 ismounted'on the control shaft b, similarlymarked in said patent of K. Howie, and referred to therein as the yarn changer shaft." It "will be noted that the band which operates the cam shaft for operating the instep transfer bar extends over a pulley and across the axis of the pivot 54:: of the narrowing frame so that said band will not be affected in any way by the pivotal movement of the narrowing frame in,

swinging up and down about its pivot.

The narrowing frame. 41 is given its dipping with as a continuation of the fabric now hanging on the instep needles and the sections of loose course on the needles out beyond the ends of the row of instep loops. After the foot is completed and the fabric removed from the machine the selvage edges of the heel tabs can be connected with the newly knit foot fabric above movements by links l6) operated from a rock shaft 49 operated by a cam 49:: and roller 49a, Fig. 1, as in Patent 1,982,991, both for doing regular transferring of loops for fashioning and also for the removal of the-instep loops from the instep needles, and their restoration to the same instep needles when the knitting of the mentioned, this connection being made by a looping action which is well known.

The invention is not limited to procedures in which the machine comes to a full stop, as above mentioned, followed by a hand operation of the tab for impaling the tabs on needles for continuing the knitting to form the foot, or to enable the tabs to be conveniently looped with foot fabric, a divided needle bar is used made up of the middle and end sections I, la, each carrying its complement of needles to make the needlerow. This bar is mounted upon the rail ll having a dovetail recess Ha, Fig. 5, the sections of the heel tabs is completed, the timing of these ac-- tions being controlled by suitable. pattern mech anism controlling the shogging of the main cam The instep transfer bar ing out various processes.

can be used in cany- For instance, in one procedure, when the knitting has been completed up to the point where the'knitting of the heel tabs is about to begin the machine will automatically come to a full stop, this being effected by any suitable pattern controlled letof! mechanism. Then the machine may be turned over by hand to cause the instep transfer bar to remove the instep loops from the needles, and retain them while the heel tabs are being knit. The power now may be thrown on again and the knitting of the heel tabs proceeded with, at the termination of which the machine will come to a full stop again.

The machine now may be turned over by hand again so that the instep loops will be replaced on the instep needles for the formation a: the foot. During the knitting of the heel tabs en-' iarged sinker loops, if desired, may be formed along a wale of each heel tab adjacent the inner selvage edge thereof as presently will be described, and dust before the knitting of the foot is proceeded with these tabs are turned laterally outward so that they readily may be. im-

her having each a dovetail base la: to slidably fit the recess in the carrier rail. The middle section I of the needle bar is fixed to the rail by screws II. The'end sections la' are adaptedto have movement endwise along the rail to and from .the middle section. The outward movement,

away from the middle section, is limitedby the adjustable stop screws 'Ilc passing through the end plates lib secured by screws 12 to the rail.

1 The needles are clamped between the mainsec- 'tions of the needle bar and the complementary pressed against the ends .of the fixed middle section by springs "ll seated in sockets Ila of the end plates '1 lb and sockets I5 in the end sections.

7 adjacent the joint between the sections are spaced paled on the needles by using these enlarged a .Ioops vfor that purpose.

After this is done the knitting of the foot can be proceeded with interknit with the heel tab loops just mentioned, and with the instep loops which now have been restored-to the instep needles. v

In another method of procedure the heel tabs are not impaled upon the needles for continuing the knitting to form the foot, but said tabs are left hanging free, and. while the instep loops are being held by the instep transfer bar revel fabric is started on the needles beyond the ends of the instep series until a loose course is knit on these needles, and then the instep loops are replaced on the instep needle by the operation of the instep bar.

5 Then the knitting of the foot is proceeded r eccentric .16 is pivoted on a screw 11 mounted provided at 84.

apart-a distance equal to the spacing of the needles throughout the needle row. With the clamping sections I 0, Figs. 5 and 18, held by bolts Id, The end sections In. of the needle bar are needle bar in this condition the regular courses of the welt, leg and foot are produced.

The open condition of the needle, bar is shown in Figs. 17 and 18 with the end sections la adjusted slightly away, endwise, from the middle section I leaving enlarged spaces at y in the needle row, the width of said spaces being substantially greater than the width of the ordinary spaces between the needles. Foradjusting the end section of the needle bar away from the middle section the following mechanism is provided: an

in theright hand section la of the needle bar.

This eccentric bears on a rod I8 slidably mounted on the needle bar by screws 19 passing through elongated openings of the rod into theend sections of the needle bar. An adjustment for this connection consists of a screw 82, Figs." 17 and 18, passing through the lug" and bearing on the head of oneof the screws 19 carried by the end section of the needle 'bar, a lock nut being The eccentric may be operated in various ways,

ai'itomaticallyor manually. As an example, a

manually operated means has been chosen to illust'rate the'actlon consisting of a handletl at- 'cluding the needle d2 of said figure.

tions adjusted as just described, a line of sinker wale stitches will be formed longer than ordi-.

narily at the gaps or wider spaces 11 between the sections of theneedle row, so that the heel tabs will have a line of enlarged spaces, openings, or sinker loops in those wales which are at or adiacent the inner selvages of the said tabs. These selvages are knit on, say, the end pairs of needles of the middle section I of the needle bar, one pair at each end of said middle section. In other words the instep needles will be those of the row extending from and including the needle dl at the left of .Fig. 17, to and. in-

The heel tab fabric will be formed by the needles of the end sections and two needles at each end of the middie section.

Fig. 29 illustrates diagrammatically one of the heel tabs with the wale'of open work at 112 resulting from the use of the sectional needle bar adjusted to the open position of Fig. 17.

The instep transfer bar has its transfer-points 8 of such number and spacing to operate in connection with only those needles which form that part of the needle row. extending from and including needle iii to and including needle d2 of Fig. 17, these being the instep needles and this figure shows the said points diagrammatically.

The divided needle bar arranged and operated as described enables the wales of open work fabric to be produced without complication of parts maintaining their alignment in a direction lengthwise of the bar with the middle section thereof.

The rod 18 has openings Ilia through which the headset the clamping screws I d are exposed.

The action of cam shaft c is initiated upon the upward movement of the narrowing frame after its first special dip at an instant just prior to what would be in ordinary practice the usual sitting operation of the regular narrowing action (said regular racking action, however, being prevented by cam 0) and is terminated at the completion of the rise from this first dip.

This completes /2 of the complete cycle of operation of the cam shaft 0,,

The yoke"- of Fig. 8 is to exert control on the instep transfer bar frame when this frame is not under control'of the cam 0 At this time the transfer frame is under tension of the fabric and the yoke by engaging the shaft 0 limits the forward swinging movement of the .transfer frame so that the points 6 will not move forward beyond the ends of the knock over bits. and the fabric will be maintained on the points a h Fig. 264:.

It will be seen from the foregoing disclosure that the narrowing frame 41 in addition to performing its regular functions in fashioning the fabric in connection with the narrowing points 44, is utilized in the transfer of the instep loops from the needles onto the loop holding points 6, and in the retransfer of these loops to the instep needles after the heel tabs have been knit and the knitting of the foot is to be proceeded with.

It acts as a carrier'for what may be termed the knee action mechanism (i. e., carrier frame arms ll, cam shaft 0, etc.) by which the instep loop points 6 with their carrier bar are given movements supplementary to and coordinated with the movements of the narrowing frame as a Whole to effect the taking off of the instep loops from the needles, their retention, for the required interval of time while the heel tabs are being knit, and their replacement on the instep needles for the knitting of the foot portion of the stocking as-a continuation of the leg portion.

The invention is not limited to the employment in one machine of both the sectional needle bar and the instep transfer bar, but where these two 1 elements are used in the same machine they are so coordinated that they constitute a subcombination of the invention, the points of the transfer bar being arranged to cooperate with less than the total number of needles carried by the middle section of said bar, as described above.

When the sectional needle bar is used adjusted by hand the machine will be controlled by pattern mechanism to stop automatically for the opening or closing of the needle bar and between these stoppages the heel tabs will be knit by throwing on the power.

It will be noted that the narrowing frame is pperated to perform its extra or special dipping actions for the transfer of loops onto the points of the instep transfer bar and back onto the instep needles by connections leading to the main cam shaft, and the additional movements of the transfer bar necessary to effect the transfer of loops is also derived from the cam shaft.

This cam shaft may be turnedover by hand from a hand wheel (not shown) as in the ordinary practice of'turning the machine by hand,

and during this hand operation of the machine the special dipping of the narrowing frame and the additional movements of the transfer bar necessary to effect the transfer of loops is given, though the invention is not limited to a hand operation to accomplish the movements just referred to.

The sectional needle bar per se is the subject of a separate application of even date herewith. now Patent No. 2,124,067.

This manner of obtaining the'elongated sinker loops, 1. e., by moving the end sections of the needle bar endwise away from the middle section, enables the machine to operate at all times with the full complement of needles necessary to knit the different portions of the fabric of full width, no needle being dropped out or otherwise displaced, or requiring the cooperation of other means in immediate association with the needles of the row.

Further, this manner of obtaining the elons gated sinker loops produces the full complement of independent loops in each course of the heel tabs. The use of the instep transfer bar contributes to maintaining the needles in alignment throughout the row, because the instep section! is not disturbed in relation to the end sections during the cessation of knitting on the instep needles, because the loops are taken off and held apart from the needles. These two factors, 1. e.. the transfer bar and the sectional bar with its end sections movable endwise to and from the middle sections. allow alignment of the needles throughout the row to be preserved under all circumstances. f

The hingins of the instep transfer frame I-I instep loop transfer bar mounted permanently upon the narrowing frame allows the latter to perform its regular narrowing actions without interference. For instance, while the heel narrowing are being formed the said frame l--I*will be held with the instep transfer points in the position of Fig. 26 by the catch 21, but thiswill not interfere with the regular up and down movement of the narrowing frame because the knee action will allow this effect to be accomplished. L The same freedom of movement of the narrow- :ing frame is present when the instep transfer frame is in its idle position and held by a hook 88 on any suitable fixed frame part, see Fig. 30, this freedom ofmovement being allowed by the pivotal connections at II and I3.

Reverting to the forward movement of the transfer points I to carry the instep fabric to on the'narrowing frame to be operated in part thereby, means for giving said narrowing frame special movements, in'addition to its regular narrowing movements, and means for operating said'transfer bar relative to said frame and needles, the movements of said bar derived from the special movements of said narrowing frame and additionally from the said means removing instep loops from the needles and restoring said loops to said needles, substantially as described.

4. A full fashioned stocking knitting machine according to claim 3 in'which the immediate means for additionallyoperating said instep loop transfer bar are carried by the narrowing frame.

5. A full fashioned stocking knitting machine according to claim 3 in which the means for additionally operating the said transfer bar are carried in part by the narrowing frame and in part extend. thence to a cam shaft of themchine mounted apart from the narrowing frame.

the front of the machine, it has been stated hereinbefore that the transfer points are lifted only high enough to enable them to pass between the thinner upper ends of the needles. This is of advantage as no length of. heel tab fabricas yet has been knit so that by not raising the transfer points'to a higher level than just stated the loops will not be pulled off from the transfer points which otherwise might occur owing to the upon the fabric.

I claim:

1. A full fashioned means for carrying and operating the same. and an instep loop transfer bar for the instep needles permanently mounted on and movable relative to the narrowing frame with means for automatically controlling and operating the said bar for removing the fabric from the instep needies and said bar while so mounted holding the fabric apart from the instep needles during knittingiof the heel tab fabric, and for restoring the section, each section carrying a set of needles which 'jointly. make up the needle row, means for determinedly adjusting the end sections endwise awayfrom the middle section thereby leaving an enlarged space between the needles at the adjacent ends of the sections during knitting operations, and back to normal position against stocking' knitting machine 1 comprising in combination a row of needles with.

6- A full fashioned stocking knitting machine comprising a needle bar carrying the row of needies, a narrowing frame carrying narrowing points. means for operating said frame, an instep transfer bar permanently mounted on the nar rowing frame and partaking of dipp movements of the same, means for giving the instep transfer bar movements relative to the narrowing frame which, together with the dipping movements, remove loops from the instep needles and restore said loops to said instep needles, said instep transfer barhaving a pivotal connection with the narrowing frame and thereby being shiftable either to an idle position or to a position for use-in taking and holding the loops away 1 from the needles, or restoring said loops thereto.

7. A full fashioned stocking knitting machine according to claim 6 m which a carrier for the transferbar is permanently mounted .on-the narrowing frame and in which the immediate" a means for operating the instep transfer bar are mounted on the narrowing frame, and the instep transfer bar carrier connects with said operating means when the bar is adjusted from idle position into operative pomtion at the needle row, 'and disconnects from said operating means when the.

carrier for said transfer bar is moved to idle position.

8; A full fashioned stocking according to claim .3 in which the means for operating the instep transfer bar relative to the narrowing frame includes a shaft mountedon the narrowing frame and having thereon cam means for giving the bar those of its movements which are additional to the dipping movements .said' middle. section thus to provide a row of equally spaced needles, and an instep loop transfer bar having points for receiving and holding instep loops from, and restoring said instep loops to instep needles 'of the middle section,-

a narrowing frame points,- means for operating .said frame, means for opcrating the narrowing points, a carrier for the instep loop transfer bar permanently mounted on the narrowing frame, and means for automatically moving said carrier relative to the nan-- rowing frame, substantially as described.

derived from the dipping of thenarrowing frame. 9. A full fashioned stocking knitting machine a needle bar with means for operating the same, a narrowing frame-with operating means therefor, an instep transfer bar intake loops. from instep needles of saidne'edlebar,

hold them While heel tab being knit, and restore the Said said instep transfer bar-being ilvotallycbnnected to the narrowing. frame to be raised to idleposition and lowered to operative positionin respe'ct to theneedles, and means carriedby the narrowingframe for-operating transfer forwardly and about said pivotal connection, and for lowering said bar f relative to the frame and needles when lowered to knitting machine active position, substantially as storing each of said loops narrowing frame, cams on said shaft, said transfer bar when moved to operating position relative to the needles being positioned also relative to said cams to be operated thereby for receiving therefrom its upward, downward forward and backward movements in proper sequence and number to take the loops from and return them to the instep needles, and means for operating said cam shaft, in coordination with the move.- ments of the narrowing frame.

11. A full fashioned stocking knitting machine according to claim 10 in which a cam gives to the carrier of the instep bar an upward move ment relative to the needles to carry the points of said bar to racking position, i. e., to a height above the level of the eyes of the needles, a cam for pressing said carrier laterally a half needle space toalign the points with the spaces between the needles, a cam for moving the carrier forwardly to 'move the points with the loops between the needles towards the front of the machine, whereupon the transfer bar under the control of one of the cams moves downwardly, cam controlled catch means for limiting the last mentioned downward movement of the bar carrying frame, and cam means for moving the transfer bar, when again raised, into position for the restoration of the loops onto the needles.

.12. A full fashioned stocking knitting machine for-knitting the leg and foot in a sequence of operations thereon comprising a row of needles, a narrowing frame, narrowing points carried thereby, means for shifting the narrowing points along the needle row from-alignment with certain of the needles into alignment with certain adjacent needles for transferring loops thereto in fashioning, an instep transfer bar carried by the narrowing frame, and means for automatically eliminating the said shifting of the narrowmeans for operating the cam shaft, substantially as described.

15. A full fashioned stocking knitting machine for knitting the leg, heel tabs, and foot of the stocking thereon comprising a narrowing frame carry g narrowing points for fashioning, an instep transfer bar mounted on said narrowing frame for removing and holding instep loops from the instep needles during the knitting of the heel tabs, a cam shaft mounted on the said narrowingframe, cams for operating the instep transfer bar, pawl and ratchet mechanism on the cam shaft for operating the said shaft, and a band operated from the main shaft of the ma chine-for operating said pawl and ratchet mechanism, said band being directed substantially across the axial line of the pivot of the narrowing frame to be unaffected by the swinging movement of said narrowing frame, substantially as described.

16. A full fashioned stocking knitting machine for knitting the leg, heel tabs, and .foot of the stocking thereon comprising a narrowing frame carrying narrowing points for fashioning, an instep transfer bar mounted on said narrowing frame for removing and holding instep loops from the instep needles during the knitting of the heel tabs, a cam shaft mounted on the said narrowing frame, cams for operating the instep transfer bar, pawl and ratchet mechanism on the cam shaft for operating the said shaft, means for operating the pawl and ratchet mechanism, a shield for controlling the action of the pawl, and means for controlling the shield comprising a cam and means operated thereby and connected with the shield.

ing points from-needle to needle along the needle row when the instep transfer bar is removing the instep loops from the instep needles and rewhich it was removed.

13. A full fashioned knitting machine according to claim 12 in which themeans for shifting the narrowing points along the needle row for fashioning the fabric includes a screw shaft, pawl and ratchet mechanism connected to said to the needle from' screw shaft for operating the same, a shield for controlling the effective operation of the pawl on said ratchet, arfd means coordinated with the operation of the instep transfer bar for setting said shield to prevent the pawl from engaging the racket, substantially as described. v

14. A full fashioned knitting machine according to claim 12 in which the means for shiftin the narrowing. points along the needle. row for fashioning the fabric includes a screw shaft, pawl and ratchet mechanism connected to said screw shaft for operating the same, a shield for controlling the effective operation of the pawl on said ratchet, and means coordinated with the operation of the instep transfer bar for setting said shield to prevent the pawl from engaging the racket, said last mentioned means comprising a cam shaft, a cam thereon,.fa connection operated by said-cam for setting the shield and 17. In combination in the machine described,

a narrowing frame carrying narrowing points for fashioning, means for operating said frame up and down, an instep transfer bar having a cars rier mounted pivotally on said frame to be swung upv to idle position away from the needles, or down into position near the needles, a cam shaft mounted on the narrowing frame, a cam on said shaft for operating the transfer bar to-a position over the beard side of the needles, and a yoke on the carrier of the transfer bar to hold the same in position against the pull of the fabric when said bar is free from control of said cam.

' 18. A full fashioned stocking knitting machine, comprising narrowing points for fashioning the fabric, a narrowing frame carrying said points and having dipping movements for fashioning, a needle bar carrying a row of needles, an instep transfer bar carried permanently by the narrowing frame and movable therewith, said bar having points to engage the instep loops, said narrowing frame having extra dippingmovem'ents contributing to the functioning of the instep transfer bar, and said instep bar having movements relative to the narrowing frame and needles additional to the extra dipping movements of said narrowing frame, and a power shaft with connections therefrom to theneedle bar, narrowing frame, and permanently mounted instep transfer knitting machine a narrowing frame carrying points for fashioning the fabric, instep loop transfer points, means for mounting said transfer points on the narrowing frame to have movement with said frame and also movement relative to said frame, both upwardly and downwardly and forwardly and backwardiy, means for operating the instep loop transfer points to give them their movements relative to the narrowing frame, means for limiting the forward movement of the transfer points, to a position between the knock over bits, and means for limiting the downward movement of the instep transfer points to less than the full dip of the narrowing frame.

20. In combination in a full fashioned knitting machine, a narrowing frame, instep transfer points, a-movable carrier therefor permanently mounted on said narrowing frame, and means on said narrowing. frame for operating the carrier to move the points downwardly, to take the instep loops of! from the.needles, upwardly and forwardly to pass between the needles at a, level plements away from the needles during the continued knitting of a plurality of courses on the remaining active needles.

24. A flat full-fashioned foot and leg knitting machine having knitting devices including a series of needles movable as a unit, an instep fab 1 ric supporting bar comprising a series of loop below their upper ends, to the forward side thereneedles, upwardly and rearwardly to carry the said leops to the beard side of the needles and then downwardly to deliver the said loops onto the needles, substantially as described.

215m a flat full-fashioned foot and leg' knitting machine having knitting devices including a series of needles movable as a unit, an instep fabric supporting bar comprising a series .of loop lifting implements, means for relatively moving said instep bar and needles to remove the instep needle loops from the needles and to position said loops slightly above the tops of the needles, means for moving the instep bar laterally out of alignment with the needles, and means for moving said instep bar to pass said implements forwardly between the needles and thereby to position said implements and instep loops held thereon beyond the backline of the needles during the subsequent knitting of the heel flaps.

22. A flat full-fashioned foot and leg knitting step loops on the points, means for raising the points relatively to the needles to position the instep loops slightly above the tips of the needles, and means for moving'the points laterally and forwardly between the needles and thereby to position said implements and instep loops held thereon beyond the back line of the needles, means for lowering the implements to position the loops held thereon at substantially the knockover level, means for moving the implements forwardly away from the needles during the continued knitting of a plurality of heel flap courses, and means for moving the implements into engagement with the beard side of the needles to return the instep loops to the needles subsequent to the knitting of the heel -flap.

25. In a flat knitting machine having knitting devices including a series of needles movable as a unit, an instep fabric'supporting bar comprising a series 'of loop lifting implements, a hanging frame on which said bar is supported to move toward and away from the needles, a vertically from the needles, and thereafter for positioning said .loops beyond the backs of the. needles, and

means for shifting "said instep bar laterally out of alignment with the needles to permit the passtep loops on the points, means. for raising the points relatively to the needles to position the instep loops slightly above the tops of the needles, and means for moving the points laterally and forwardly between the needles, and thereafter downwardly to position said implements and in- 4 step loops held thereon beyond the back line of i the needles at substantially the knockover level during the subsequent knitting of the heel flaps. V 23., A flat full-fashioned foot and leg knitting machine having knitting devices including a series of needles movable as a unit, an instep fabric supporting bar comprising a series of looplifting implements, means formoving the instep bar loops slightly above the tips of the needles, and

means for-moving the points laterally and forwardly between the needles and thereby to p'osition said implements and instep loops held thereon beyond the back line of the needles,

means forlowering the implements .to position the loops held thereon at substantially the knockover level, and means for moving the imsage of said implements between the needles.

26. In combination in a full fashioned stocking knitting machine, a narrowing frame with means for operating it for narrowing, an instep loop transfer bar for taking loops of! from instep needles and restoring them thereto, carrier means for said-instep loop transfer, bar connected to the narrowing frame and movable up and down and forwardly and backwardlyin relation to said narrowing frame and to the needles, and means for operating said carrier means to give the instep transfer bar the aforesaid up and down and forward and backward movements, said op,- erating means being mounted in part on the narrowing frame and in part comprising connections leading thereto from the cam shaft of the machine.

-. 'l.- A full fashioned knitting machine according to claim 26, in which the carrier means, for

the instep loop transfer bar-and the operating means comprises depending and horizontally extending arms pivotally connected together, substantially as described.

28. A full fashioned'stocking knittingmachine according to claim 26 in which the operating means for thenarrowing frame gives thereto its regular down and up movement for narrowing and special down and up movements for assista ing in taking the instep loops fromand restoring them to the needles by the instep loop transferj bar.

. 29. A full fashioned knitting machine according to c1aim'2 6 in which means are provided holding the instep transfer bar inoperative during the operation of the narrowing frame for transferring loops in the narrcwing'of the heel tabs, and means for operating the said holding means, said carrier means being hinged to the narrowing frame to permit the latter to have movement independent of the carrier means, substantially as described.

30. In-combination with a narrowing frame of a full fashioned stocking knitting machine, an instep loop transfer bar, a depending carrier for said bar, an arm pivotally connected to the upper end of said carrier and extending substantially horizontally from saidpivotal connection and pivoted to the narrowing frame, means on the narrowing frame for giving said horizontal arm an up and down movement about its pivotal connection with the narrowing frame, and means on said narrowing frame for giving the depending carrier a movement about the upper pivot 33. In a flat knitting machine having a narrowing frame and a main power shaft, 9. carrier 'from' which it depends, substantially as dement while the narrowing frame performs its.

regular narrowing movements, substantially as described.

32. A full fashioned stocking knitting machine for knitting thereon a leg, heel tabs and foot, comprising a needle bar composed of a middle section, with a section at each end thereof movable. endwise to and from the middle section, each section'carrying a part of the row of needles, which needles, when the end sections are. closed against the middle section, present a row of needles equally spaced from end to end, and when the end sections are moved away from the middle section present a needle row with extra wide spacing between the needles at the adjacent ends of the sections, means for opening and closing the needle bar, an instep transfer bar,

a carrier therefor movably mounted on the niachine and operable to remove and hold the instep loops from the instep needles during the knitting of the heel tabsand thereafter to restore said loops to said needles, said instep.

transfer bar having a row of points spaced apart to accord with the spacing of the needles of the step transfer bar', the heel tabs being knit by needles of the end sections and by needles at the ends of the middle section whereby the heel tabs are provided with a wale of enlarged loops near their inner selvage edge, said transfer bar carrier being mounted on the narrowing frame of the machine to partake of special up and down movements of said frame, and means for giving additional movements to said carrier for carrying out the transfer of loops from the needles and back thereonto.

bar having instep transfer points, means permanently mounting the carrier bar on the narrowing frame, operating means mounted on the narrowing frame for moving the carrier bar relative to the narrowing frame, said operating means and the movements of the narrowing frame serving to make said points remove instep loops from the needles, hold them substantially in the plane of knitting at that side of the needles which is towards the front of the machine, during the knitting of the heel tabs, and then restore said loops to the needles for the knitting of the foot, said means for mounting the carrier bar on the narrowing frame permit-- ting movement of the bar to idle position away from said operating means on the narrowing frame, and connections leading from the main power shaft for operating the said means mounted on the narrowing frame.

34. A flat full-fashioned foot and leg knitting" to the backs of the needles during the subsequent knitting of the heel flaps, and means for thereafter moving said'points into engagement with the beard side of the needles to'return the instep loops to the needles.

35. A flat full-fashioned .foot and leg knitting machine according to claim 21 in which the means for moving the instepbar laterally out of alignment with the needlescomprises a cam shaft mounted on the narrowing frame having a cam thereon, carrier means for the instep bar mounted on the narrowing frame and acted upon by said cam which besides moving the carrier also controls the lateral positioning of said carrier together with the instep bar, substantially as described.

36. In a flat knitting machine the combination of a narrowing frame, instep transfer points permanently mounted on the narrowing frame and operated in part by the narrowing frame and in part by means mounted on said narrowing frame to make said points remove loops from the needles, hold them at that side of the needles which is towards the front of the machine, during the knitting of the heel tabs, and then restore said loops to the instep needles for the knitting of the foot, said means which are mounted on the narrowing frame consisting of a rotatable cam shaft, a main power shaft mounted independently of the narrowing frame, and connections leading from said main power shaft to the-said cam shaft for operating the latter, substantially as described.

KENNETH HOWIE. 

